The opening of the video shows rainbow stripes moving across the screen from left to right. A cloud shape pops into the coloured stripes containing an image of a wooden stereoscope. The video title 'What Is This' is superimposed on the stereoscope. A question mark bounces into position at the end of the text ('What Is This?') and an eyeball rolls around in the dot forming the bottom of the question mark and winks. Upbeat music plays in the background. A swarm of question marks moves across and fills the frame.

Angela the presenter stands behind a desk. She is holding and looking in to a wooden object.

Teddy the puppet is on the right. Above Teddy in the top right part of a screen is an animated television graphic. Spinning question marks appear in the TV screen.

TEDDY: What is this? You must be able to look through it, just like Angela is doing, because it's got two eyepieces.

(Angela takes object away from her face.)

ANGELA: Could it be a mask?

(Angela looks through the object.)

TEDDY: That's a good idea! A mask goes over your face and you can see through the two holes. I think it might be made of wood, too.

(Angela takes the object from her face and rubs her hand over the object. A close-up of her hand passing over the top of the object.)

ANGELA: Well it definitely feels like it's made from wood.

(Angela holds the object out for Teddy to feel. Teddy runs his paws across it.)

TEDDY: Oh yeah.

ANGELA: And it has a handle underneath for holding it up to your face. And also this long piece of wood sticking out the front just below the eyepieces.

(Angela points to the components of the object as she describes them. She points to the object's handle which is 'T'-shaped. At the end of the handle is an oval viewer with two square eye holes.)

TEDDY: If it was a mask, that would make you look like you have a very long, thin nose – like Pinocchio (laughs).

(Angela puts the object back to her face, pretending it's a mask.)

ANGELA: This might help you figure out what it is, Teddy.

(Wide shot of Angela and Teddy with the object on the desk between them. Angela produces a card with a photo mounted on it that she shows to Teddy.)

ANGELA: What can you see?

TEDDY: It's a photograph about the size of a postcard. The people in the photo are wearing old-fashioned clothes, and it's black and white.

(A close-up of the photograph is shown and, as Teddy describes it, it appears in the animated television screen above him.)

ANGELA: That's right. And there is something else you might find a bit strange about the photo.

(A pan across the photo, shows two apparently identical images of people dressed in formal clothes early 20th century clothing, including top hats. Below photo text reads 'The American Fleet in Australia'.)

TEDDY: It has two of the same picture, side by side.

TEDDY: What's that at the end of the long piece of wood at the front? It looks like it has a bracket on it.

(Angela points to the metal bracket.)

ANGELA: Well, Teddy. It looks like you've discovered another piece of the puzzle. Let me give you another clue.

(Angela takes the photo and slots it into bracket.)

TEDDY: Ahh! I see. That bracket at the front is for holding the photograph and it sits right in front of the two eyepieces! Is it for looking at photos, Angela?

(Angela turns the object to face camera. The photo can be seen through the square eye holes.)

ANGELA: It is. This is called a stereoscope.

(The word 'stereoscope' appears in the animated television screen.)

ANGELA: Stereoscopes were very popular around 150 years ago.

(Close-up of the stereoscope. Angela rotates it so all the parts can be clearly seen.)

TEDDY: 150 years! That's even older than you.

ANGELA: (laughs) It certainly is, Teddy. A stereoscope lets us see these special photographs in 3D.

(Angela touches the photo in the bracket.)

ANGELA: Here. Have a go.

(Angela holds the stereoscope eyepieces up to Teddy's face.)

TEDDY: Ohh!

ANGELA: At first, you see two separate images. As you slide the photo along the wooden arm at the front of the stereoscope …

(Angela slides the photo in its bracket. The camera switches to Teddy's point of view. The two images move together and become one, with the people in the photo standing out in the foreground in a simulated 3D effect.)

Upbeat music. An animation of rainbow stripes moving across the screen from left to right. A cloud shape pops into the coloured stripes containing an image of a stereoscope. The video title 'What Is This?' is superimposed on the stereoscope. This dissolves to National Museum of Australia logo.

Unless otherwise indicated (in this copyright notice or in relation to particular material on this website) you may copy, distribute, display, download and print the material on this web page for your own person use, for non-commercial education purposes or for non-commercial use within your organisation, provided that you attribute the National Museum of Australia. All other rights are reserved by the Museum. For example, you will have to obtain permission from the Museum if you wish to: (a) charge others for access to the material (other than at cost); (b) include the material in advertising or a product for sale; or (c) alter the material; unless a notice for that material provides otherwise.